Apparatus for separation of air into its constituents



.Bufiy i5 1924.. 1.501415 'J. LAFFERTY APPARATUS FOR SEPARATION OF AIR INTO ITS C ONSTITUENTS Original Filed March 22, 1919- Patented July 15,; 1924 loddl dl JAMES G. LAFFERTY, 0F GORAGPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATION OF AIR INTO ITS CONSTITUENTS.

Application filed March 22, 1913, Serial No. 284,309. Renewed December 13, 1922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs G. LAFFE TY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Coraopolis, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Separation of Air into Its Constituents; and I do hereby declare the following to vbe a full, clear, and exact description there My invention relates to apparatus for the production of pure oxygen, nitrogen and argon.

' The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eilicient form of apparatus by means of which air may be separated into its constituent elements by first li ueifying. In'the accompanying drawing t e figure illustrates-a sectional. elevation of my improved apparatus.

The numeral 2 designates a pipe supplied with air from a suitable blower (not shown), said pipe being" connected up to a suitable preliminary dehydrating apparatus 6, which it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate in detail. The pipe 2 is provided with the valves -l and 5, lead- ,ing to different points in the apparatus 6,

and the supply of air may be regulated to any section of the apparatus, clearly illustrated in the drawing. The air passes from the preliminary dehydrating apparatus 6 by the pipe 10, provided with valves 7, 8 and 9, to a chamber 1:2 which contains a nest of tubes 11 which are submerged in a suitable brine contained within the chamber 12. The air passes downward through the tubes 11 and bubblesup through the brine in the chamber 12, the brine being at such a low temperature that the de hydrated air is not moistened. A. pipe 1? leading from the top of chamber 12 is connected up to the coil 18 of suitable heatinterchanging apparatus contained within the casing 18*, and a pipe '19 leads from this coil 18 to a. suitable apparatus 2G for removing the last traces of CO from. the air. A pipe 23 connects the apparatus 20 with the receiving tank 24: in which the air is allowed to accumulate, and from which it is carried by the pipe 25 to the compressor 26. The air when compressed to a suitable pressure by the compressor 26, is delivered by the pipe 27 to the coil 28 surrounded by the coil 133 with an intermeoperation.

diate coil 86 to be referred to more fully later. In this manner the air contained in the coil 28 is cooled by the air supplied by the pipe 17 to the coil 18. i

A pipe 29 is connectedto the outlet. of the coil 28, and said pipe is connected to the coil 30 in the chamber 30 and the aircontained within said coil is cooled by the ases in the coil 31 which are conducted rom the apparatus hereinafter described.

The pipe 32 is connected at one end to the coil 30 and connects at the other end with a coil contained in the interchanging coil 3%, which said coil 33 is connected to the pipe 35 provided with the valve 36. The pipe 35 leads into the expander 35 which is connected to the expanding coil 38. A valve 35 is provided which is opened and closed at regular intervals by the lever 35 connected up by the rod 35 to a suitable reciprocating device, not shown. The air on entering the container 35? increases in volume, and is expanded into the coil 38 where a reduction of temperature takes place By the use of the container 35 a greater volume of air in expanded at each The container 353 communicates by means of a suitable pipe with an expanding coil 38 contained in the low pressure liquid air chamber 50. Within the chamber 50 is the high pressure chamber 41, and a pipe 39 connected to the coil 38 enters said chamber 41 and by means of the U-shaped branchpipes 41 communicating with the chamber 40 at the upper end of the pipe 39, the air liquefied in' the pi e 39. passes by said branch-pipes into t e chamber L1? 1 The chamber 411 communicates with the dome 40* for the reception of the volatile gases arising from the chamber 41", and said gases, rich in nitrogen, will pass off by the pipe 51 to be carried upwardly and delivered by the branch-pipes 54- and' 55 to difi'erent points of the app ates, f or he reasons more fully herein set forth. This pipe 51 is provided with the valves \56 and 57 The liquid air which collcc s in} the charm ber 41 is conducted by the pi 'e 42!, provided with the valve 43, to the chamber 4410f a condenser at the upper end of the'main chamber 76, this condenser bbingcomposed of the superposed chambers 44-. 60 and 65. A pipe 48 conveys the liquid from the chamber 44 to the chamber 49 said pipe 48 being provided with the valve 47. The liquid which collects in the lower part of the chamber 49 flows by the pipes 70 into the spraying device 71 and passes down into the chamber 50, said liquid in its passage meeting the more volatile gases arising from said cham- V pipe 48. The gases, rich in nitrogen, sepa rated in this manner still continue their ascent, passing through the chamber 49, where they meet the liquid discharged by the spray 71 The liquid supplied to this spraying device 71" comes from the chamber 69, where the liquidcollects and flows therefrom by the branch-pipes 69. The pipe 68 is connected up to the chamber 65, said pipe being provided with a valve 67. The volatile gases pass up through the chamber 49 and pass by the pipe 49 into the chamber 69 where they meet any liquid which may be discharged from the ipe 68 and further free the volatile gases in t e liquid delivered from said pipe.

Again, these volatile gases continue to ascend and meet the liquid sprayed from the spray 71 contained within the chamber 49. The. liquid for the spraying device 71 is sup-- plied from the liquid which accumulates in the chamber 64 and which flows there-from by the branch-pipes 64. The liquid that col-' lects in the chamber 64 is conducted thereto by the pipe 61, provided with a valve 62, from the chamber at the upper end of the casing 76. The volatile gases pass up through the chamber 49 and pass by the pipes 64 into the chamber 64, Where they meet the liquid discharged from the pipe 61 into said chamber, where a further release of the volatile gases contained in said liquid takes place, and said volatile gases continue on up and escape by the pipes 66 into the chamber 65. The liquid introduced by the pipe 61 is richer in nitrogen than the liqud introduced by pipe 68. These gases rich in nitrogen then pass up through the condenser 45 contained within the chamber 44, and cool this condenser to their owntem erature after which these ases ass down and up through the U-shaped pipes 64, and are delivered by said U-shaped pipes into the chamber 60 from which they are discharged through the pipe 72. Liquid rich in nitrogen can be supplied to the chamber 60 through pipe 55 by. opening the valve 56,

and this liquid is delivered by the pipe 61 to the chamber 64. Gases may also be. dis charged into the upper end of the chamber 64 by the pipe 54 connected up to the pipe 5 the valve 56 being closed. This gas, rich innitrogen from the dome 40", entering the upper end of the chamber '64, passes out through the outlets 66 into the chamber 65 and is there reduced in temperature through expansion, the pressure in chambers 64 and 65 being less than the pressure in the pipe 54, and this gas passes off through the pipes 45 and 46, chamber 60 and pipe 72 in the manner described above. If any liquid is condensed in the chamber 64 it is discharged into the rectifying tower through the pipe 68. The gases discharged through the pipe 72 pass to the coil 34 to cool the air in the coil 33. The gas then passes by pipe 73 into coil 14 which aids to cool the brine in chamber 12. From the coil 14 it passes by pipe 73 to a suitable container or to the atmos- 'phere as desired.

In the production of oxygen by my apparatus, the liquid oxygen that is contained in the chamber 50 is conveyed by the pipe 91 provided with the valve 91 to the coil 31,

which cools the air contained in the coil 301 This liquid oxygen is volatilized in its discharge through the coil 31 and passes out by the pipe 93 to a suitable container.

Where it is desired to recover the argon, the valves and 91 are closed. A pipe is connected to the lower end of thechamber 50, and said pipe is provided'with the valve 101. Branch-pipes 102, 103 and 104 lead from the pipe 100 and enter the main chamber 76, said pipes being provided with valves 105, 106 and 107. Each branch-pipe connects up with a circular pipe 108, which s perforated so that the liquid is delivered from said pipes into the main chamber 76. A series of perforated screens 109 are rovided together with bafiies 110, whereby the remaining gas is separated as the liquid descends, and the argon passes up in the chamber 76 and is discharged by 'the pipe 77 through the valve 78 into a suitable container. In this case the valve 7 9 would be closed. In this process of recovering ar on the oxygen collects-in the bottom of cham er 76 and may be conducted by pipes 74 and 95 to the pipe 91, the valve 96 being open. The oxygen then passes as before into the coil 31.; When it is desired to add heat to the apparatus, the valve 75 is opened and valves 78, 101, 96 are closed. This allows part of the gas in coil 34 to pass by pipe 74 into-the chamber 76 where it acts to heat the appa- I end of the coil 16 and leads back to the pipe 89 connecting said pipe 90 up with the refrigerating machine,

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a chamber for containing liquid air, a second chamber surrounding the said liquid air chamber for collecting liquid separation products, a rectifying tower disposed above the said chambers and in communication with the said liquid-collecting outer chamber, a cooling chamber disposed above the said tower, and means for removing liquid from the said cooling chamber and for introducing the said liquid into the said tower.

2. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a chamber for containing liquid air, an outer chamber surrounding the said first-named chamber for containing liquid separation products, a coil disposed in the said outer chamber and communicating with the said inner chamber, means for introducing liquid air into the said inner chamber through the said coil, a rectifying tower disposed above the said chambers and in communication with the said liquid-collecting outer chamber, a cooling chamber disposed above the said tower, and means for removing-liquid from the said cooling chamber and for introducing the said liquid into the saidjtower,

3.111 apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of an inner highpressure chamber for containing liquid air, an outer-low-pressure chamber for containing liquid separation products, a coil disposed in the said outer chamber and com municating with the said inner chamber,

means for introducing liquid air into the.

said inner chamber through the said coii, a rectifying tower disposed above thesaid chambers and communicating with the said outer chamber, a cooling chamber disposed above the said tower, means for conveying liquid from the bottom of the said inner chamber to the said cooling chamber, and means for removing liquid from the said cooling chamber and for introducing the said liquid into the said tower.

4. In apparatus for the separation of air, the combination of a chamber for receiving liquid air. a chamber surrounding the firstnamed chamber for receiving liquid separa tion products, a rectifying tower disposed above the said chambers and communicating with the said outer chamber, a dome formed on the said inner chamber, a liquid receiver disposed in the said dome and means for conveying liquid from the said receiver to the top of the said tower.

5. ln apparatus for separating liquid air, the combination of an inner high-pressure chamber for containing liquid air, an outer low-pressure chamber surroundingthe said inner chamber for receiving liquid separation products, a COll disposed in the said outer chamber and communicating with the the combination of a chamber for receiving liquid separation products, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, the said tower comprising a central chamber or passa e, means for causing liquid air to fall free y within the said passage, means for introducing gaseous separation products into the saidpassage, means at the bottom of the said passage for collecting liquid, and means for causin the liquid so collected to fall in a spray into the said receiving chamber below thasaid rectifying tower.

7. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a chamber for receiving liquid separation products, 9. rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, the said tower comprising a plurality oi superposed sections, each section communicating with the section above and below it through a central chamber or passage of less width than the intermediate width of the said sections, means for introducing liquid air into each of the said passages, means for admitting gaseous separation products into each of the said passages, means disposed at the bottom of each of the said passages for collecting liquid, and means for causingthe liquid so collected to fall in a. spray into the subjacent passage,

8. In apparatus for separating liquid air comprising a chamber for receiving liquid separation products, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, the said tower comprising a plurality of superposed sections communieating with one another by means of central chambers or passages of less Width than the Width of the said sections, the Walls of each of the said passages being continued into the subjacent section and terminating in a liquid collector, a spray device surrounding; the lower end of each of the said passages, means for permitting liquid to flow from each of the said collectors into and through the surrounding spray member, means for admitting. liquid air into each of the said passages, and means for admitting gaseous separation products into each of the said passages.

9. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a rectifying tower, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, and a pipe for removing liquid from said cooling chamber and for introducing the said liquid into an intermediate part of the said tower.

-10. In apparatus for the.separation of liquid air, the combination of a rectifying tower, a cooling apparatus disposed at the top of the said tower and comprising a plura ity of superposed sections, means for collecting liquid in certain of the said sections and means for removing the said liquid separately from each of the said sections and for introducing thesaid liquid into the said tower at different elevations therein.

11. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a rectifying tower, a cooling apparatus disposed at the top of the said tower and comprising three superposed sections, means for introducing liquid air into the central section of the said cooling apparatus, means for admitting gaseous separation products into the lower section and for conducting the said products through the intermediate section into the upper section, means for separately removing liquid from each of they said three sections and for introducing the liquidv so removed into the said rectifying tower at three separate elevations therein.

12. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a rectifying column, a cooling apparatus disposed at the top of the said column, means for introducingliquid air into the central section of the said condenser, means for admitting gaseous separation products into the lower sec tion thence through pipes contained in the intermediate section and into the upper section, means for conveying liquid from the said intermediate section into the said tower at the lower part thereof, means for convey ing liquid from the said lower section into the said tower at an intermediate part thereof, and means for conveying liquid from the said upper section into the said tower at an upper part thereof.

13. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a liquid-receiving chamber, a rectifying tower disposed above. and in communication with the said chamber, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, and a casing surrounding the said tower and spaced therefrom, the said casin being attached to the said receiving cham er and to the said cooling chamber.

14. In apparatus for the separation of moans liquid air, the combination of a liquid-receiving chamber, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, a casing surrounding the said tower and spaced therefrom, the said casing being attached to the said receivving chamber and to the said cooling' chamber, battles disposed within the said casing and means for conveying liquid from the said receiving 'chamberinto the space between the said casing and the said tower. 15. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a. liquid-receiving chamber, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with-the said chamber, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, a casing surrounding the said tower and spaced therefrom, the said casing being attached to the said re ceiving chamber and to the said cooling chamber, bafiies disposed within the said casing and means for introducing liquid from -a common source of supply at different heights within the space between the said casing and the said tower.

16. In. apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combination of a liquid-re ceiving chamber, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, a casing surrounding the said tower and spaced therefrom, the said casing being attached to the said receiving chamber and to the said cooling chamber, baflies disposed within the said casing, spray devices disposed at vertical intervals in the space between the said casing and the said tower, and means for conveying liquid from the said liquid receiving chamber to each of the said spray devices.

17. In apparatus for the separation of liquid air, the combinationof a liquid-receiving chamber, a rectifying tower disposed above and in communication with the said chamber, a cooling chamber disposed at the top of the said tower, a casing surrounding the said tower and spaced therefrom, means for conveying gas from the said cooling chamber into the bottom of the said casing and means for conveying gas from an upper portion of the said casing to aid in cooling air entering the said apparatus.

In testimony whereof I, the'said J AMEs G. LAFFERTY, have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES G. LAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

H. HECK. ROBT. R. TOTTEN. 

